Applying For A Food Franchise License

Opening a food franchise is an opportunity to go into business for yourself using a food service restaurant that has already been established. When they’re in a hurry, people tend to flock to food chains they recognize. Your food franchise could very well be the place that people go to when they’re in a hungry and in a hurry. Before you open the franchise, you’ll need to apply for a food franchise license.

Licensing Requirements

The licensing requirements for a food franchise vary by state, county, and even by the city and local level. To get your food franchise license you must check with your local health department. The health department let you know the requirements for opening a food franchise in your area, along with any licensing fees that need to be paid.

Actions Steps To Prepare The Restaurant

The health department will likely be interested in knowing several factors about the equipment that you’ll be installing in the restaurant. Identify the suppliers, contractors, and installers of the equipment. Find out if your local health department has certain standards that your equipment must meet.

• Your restaurant will need to provide adequate refrigeration for food. All coolers and freezers need to be the right size to properly store your food. Make sure you will have enough shelving as most health departments will not allow food to be stored on the floor. There will be temperature requirements for your franchise’s refrigeration units.

• Make sure your facilities will have enough hand washing stations so your employees will be able to keep their hands clean.

• Insect and pest control is usually a concern of health departments when reviewing a food franchise license application. You have to make sure you have procedures in place for insects and rodents out of your business. Without these procedures, your application is in risk of being denied.

• Garbage must be disposed of in a certain manner. City zoning restrictions often apply when it comes to garbage disposal. Your health department or clerk at the city hall can provide you with more information about how zoning restrictions affect your garbage disposal. Insect and pest control measures often have to be applied to garbage disposal methods as well.

• Plumbing, electricity, water, lighting, and maintenance are some other areas with regulations affecting your franchise license application.

• If your franchise is going to have a bar or lounge area, find out if there are any regulations specific to that area that are different from the rest of the restaurant. You’ll have to obtain your license to sell alcohol separately from the food franchise license.

• Many cities and states now have regulations in place that prevent smoking in public places. If these laws apply to your food franchise, you’ll be required to display “smoking” and “non-smoking” signs where applicable.

The franchise that you’re interested in might also have some requirements related only to that franchise. To find out about any franchise-specific requirements for licensing, you should contact someone within the company that you’re interested in financing.